Setting the default font and size

If you do not want to start your documents in Times New Roman 10 pt but use a different font by default, this is easy to change. Simply right-click in the document window to open the context menu and select the menu entry Character. In the dialog box "Character", you can now choose your preferred font settings and make them your new default by clicking on the button Set as default. In the following dialog box, choose Change for all new documents based on the default template. All future documents that you base on the default template will now use the chosen font settings.

Setting other default formatting options

Here's how to set a different default zoom level or paper size for all of your future documents: Open the default template Normal.tmvx using the File | Open command and make the desired changes. When done, save the document template. All of the future documents that use this template will have the chosen settings.

Changing the zoom level with the mouse

If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you can use it to quickly change the zoom level at which a document is displayed. Press the Ctrl key on your keyboard, keep it depressed and move the scroll wheel on your mouse up or down.

Use paragraph spacing!

Even if you think it is annoying, don't insert blank lines between paragraphs. Instead, set the spacing between paragraphs using Paragraph spacing before and Paragraph spacing after. You will find these options in the dialog boxes Paragraph and Paragraph style. Right-click in the document window and pick the respective command from the context menu. The advantage of paragraph spacing is that it lets TextMaker suppress unnecessary empty space at the tops and bottoms of pages.

Non-breaking spaces prevent unwanted word wrapping

If you want to prevent two words from being separated by a line break or page break between them, just enter a "non-breaking space" between the words. To do this, just type Ctrl+Shift+Space.

Saving printer ink when printing drafts

For draft prints, you can choose the option Drop pictures in the Print dialog. Your document will print faster and use less ink because all of the pictures are skipped.

Using multiple paper trays

If you want the first page of your document or chapter to be pulled from a different paper tray of your printer, you can set up the paper trays using the page setup. To get to this dialog box, switch to the Layout tab of the ribbon and click on the small triangle to the right of the section label "Page setup".

Sharing document templates

If you work in a local area network and you want all users to access the same set of document templates, you can set a shared template path in File | Options | Files.

Picture frames and embedded pictures

TextMaker lets you insert pictures either as frames or as embedded pictures. Picture frames are positioned absolutely on the page or in relation to a paragraph, whereas embedded pictures simply "wander along" with the paragraph where they're placed.

If you want to convert an already-inserted embedded pictures to a picture frame (or vice-versa), simply select the picture in TextMaker, press the right mouse button and choose the command Convert to picture frame or Convert to embedded object.